In a significant move that further consolidates the Iranian regime’s control over internal security, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has appointed Eskandar Momeni, the regime’s Interior Minister, as the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the Police Force. This appointment, made through a formal decree, signals a critical shift in the regime’s approach to quelling street protests and maintaining order within the country.
Interior Ministry Under Direct Control of the Supreme Leader
This decision effectively places the Ministry of Interior, which also holds the responsibility of heading the National Security Council, under the direct supervision of the Supreme Leader. The implications are clear: the Interior Minister, now empowered by this dual role, will be directly responsible for suppressing street protests, with Khamenei closely overseeing these operations.
Since the nationwide protests that erupted in 2009, the Ministry of Interior’s leadership has typically been entrusted to a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) or a member closely affiliated with the IRGC. This trend has led to the Ministry being firmly under the control of IRGC commanders, from the highest levels down to the operational units. In the administration of Ebrahim Raisi, this responsibility has been handed to Ahmad Vahidi, the former commander of the Quds Force, further entrenching the IRGC’s influence over the Ministry.
The National Security Council: A Tool for Suppression
The Interior Minister also serves as the head of the National Security Council, a critical body that operates as a subset of the Supreme National Security Council, which is chaired by the President. The National Security Council, whose Secretariat is housed within the Ministry of Interior, is tasked with implementing decisions of the Supreme National Security Council, particularly in response to widespread social unrest. With the Supreme Leader’s approval, the Council is empowered to activate measures to curb protests across the country.
All members of the National Security Council are IRGC commanders, underscoring the military nature of the regime’s approach to internal security. In addition to the Minister of Intelligence, the head of the IRGC’s Intelligence Organization also holds a seat on the Council. This composition ensures that the Council’s decisions are heavily influenced, if not outright controlled, by the IRGC.
Coordinated Suppression Under IRGC Command
The enforcement of protest suppression is primarily carried out by special units and various branches of the IRGC and Basij forces. These forces operate under the command of an IRGC officer, and the National Security Council, led by the Interior Minister, directly communicates suppression orders to them. Given that both the originators of these orders and the enforcers are members of the IRGC, the regime’s response to protests is highly coordinated and ruthlessly efficient.
Khamenei’s Direct Involvement
By appointing the Interior Minister—who is also the head of the National Security Council—as his deputy in the police force, Supreme Leader Khamenei has effectively centralized the decision-making and operational control of protest suppression under his direct authority. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Khamenei’s involvement in these matters ensures that the regime’s approach to quelling dissent is both decisive and tightly controlled.
This recent move by Khamenei marks a further tightening of the regime’s grip on power and demonstrates a clear intent to repress any form of public dissent with even greater efficiency and coordination. The appointment of Eskandar Momeni as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces in the Police Force is not just a bureaucratic reshuffle; it is a calculated step to bolster the regime’s ability to maintain its hold on power in the face of growing domestic unrest.
Source » radiofarda